Menu Item Food Photography for The Gig in Monterey
On-location restaurant photography for online ordering, digital menus, and marketing
Professional food photography brought me to The Gig on Old Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey, California, to photograph a selection of menu items for their online ordering services, especially Toast. Using natural window light and a reflector, I created individual menu photos along with overhead hero shots and close-up images that can also be used for the restaurant's website and marketing.
Making Menu Item Food Photos for The Gig in Monterey
Mike contacted me with a number of ideas for creating visual content for his restaurant right on Old Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey, The Gig. We decided to start with the most pressing need, getting menu photos especially for online ordering services. I set up on a table with good window light that allowed me to then just use natural light and a reflector to make these photos. It’s always great when I can use natural light for food photography instead of off camera flash. I shot tethered to my laptop so Mike, who has a great eye for detail, could preview each food photo in real time. He noticed small details that were very helpful in getting each dish photographed as perfectly as possible.
In addition to the menu shots, I suggested after there were about 5 dishes brought out that I get an overhead “hero shot” of all five dishes. Clients usually really like these shots, and end up liking them the best, and such was the case with Mike too!
The Gig also has an interesting bit of Monterey history. Its location on Old Fisherman's Wharf was previously home to Paluca Trattoria, which served as the inspiration for the Blue Blues café in HBO's *Big Little Lies*. The actual café scenes were recreated on a soundstage, but the Monterey location and harbor helped inspire its look. Pretty neat to be working in a spot with that connection to the show!
Thank you to Mike and the team at The Gig for choosing me for this restaurant food photography project. I look forward to seeing the photographs used on their online menus and throughout their restaurant marketing.
Check out The Gig when you are next in Monterey!
Professional Menu Photography for Monterey Restaurants
Give customers a better look at your food before they order
Does your restaurant need professional food photos for Toast, online ordering, delivery platforms, or your website? I offer on-location food photography for restaurants throughout Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel, Seaside, and the surrounding Monterey Peninsula. From individual menu item photographs to more creative food hero shots, I can put together a photography session based on what your restaurant needs, without taking up more of your time than necessary.
Restaurant Menu Food Photography at The Gig in Monterey
Individual menu item photos, seafood close-ups, and creative overhead food photography
These photographs show the range of menu items I photographed for The Gig, using a consistent angle for the individual dishes along with closer and overhead views. The individual photos give customers a good look at what they are ordering, while the more creative compositions can be used for restaurant websites, social media, and special promotions. All of these photographs were made on location during the same food photography session.
Behind the Scenes of a Restaurant Food Photography Shoot
Using natural window light and a reflector for on-location food photography
Here is a look at my setup for this shoot at The Gig. Rather than bringing in a large lighting setup, I took advantage of the natural window light and used a reflector to fill in the shadows on the food. This made it easy to work right at a restaurant table and move quickly between dishes. It is a simple setup that can produce great results, especially when the goal is to photograph a number of menu items in a relatively short amount of time.
Why Professional Food Photography Matters for Online Restaurant Ordering
Make the most of your menu photography across Toast, websites, and restaurant marketing
When customers order food online, they cannot see the actual dish sitting in front of them. A professional photograph gives them a much better idea of what they are choosing, especially when they are unfamiliar with a restaurant or trying something new.
For restaurants using Toast and other online ordering services, professional menu photography can help in several ways:
Online menus and ordering: Show customers what individual dishes look like with consistent, identifiable menu photos.
Restaurant websites: Feature signature dishes with larger, more creative hero photographs.
Google Business Profiles: Help people browsing local restaurant options see the food before deciding where to eat.
Social media and promotions: Use food photographs to introduce new menu items, advertise specials, and remind people about favorite dishes.
Marketing flexibility: Get multiple uses from the same photography session instead of arranging separate shoots for every platform.
A restaurant does not need an elaborate production to start improving its food photography. A well-planned on-location session can produce a collection of useful photographs in a short amount of time, with both individual menu photos and more creative images for marketing.
Monterey Restaurant Food and Menu Photography
Professional food photography for Monterey Peninsula restaurants, cafés, and hospitality businesses
Are you a restaurant owner or manager in Monterey, Carmel, Pacific Grove, Seaside, Pebble Beach, or elsewhere on the Monterey Peninsula looking for professional food photography?
I provide on-location menu item photography, creative food hero shots, restaurant branding photographs, and food video for businesses that want to show customers more of what they offer. Whether you are opening a new restaurant, adding items to your online menu, updating your website, or creating content for social media, I can help.
As a professional photographer since 2009, I can work with your restaurant's available space and lighting to create photographs that fit your menu and marketing needs. Contact me to discuss the dishes you need photographed and the type of images that will be most useful for your business.
Jason Collin Photography is based in Pacific Grove, California, providing professional restaurant food photography, menu item photography, and food marketing photography for restaurants throughout Monterey, Carmel, Pebble Beach, Seaside, and the surrounding Monterey Peninsula.